Having joined the RAF Boy Entrant Training
School in 1950 Jim's first posting was
to RAF Scampton followed by postings to
RAF Lindholme and RAF Debden before his
posting, 6 years later, to RAF
Schleswigland in Germany.
"Early 1956 I was a Corporal engine fitter
working in the engine bay at RAF
Schleswigland. It wasn't a Squadron (we wern't that glamorous) It was simply
called the Target Towing Flight."
"R.A.F. Schleswig,
a few miles north of the town of Schleswig near the village of Jagel, was a
satellite of the main R.A.F. Base on the island of Sylt, a large airfield
still showing signs of it's Luftwaffe origins. Excellent large hangars with
powerful overhead traveling hoists, something I never saw in the R.A.F.
hangars in England, although they may have existed somewhere I suppose.
Eventually the field at Jagel was handed back
and was no longer "R.A.F." it became instead the home of the German No.1
Marine Flying Group equipped initially with FAIREY GANNETS........... well
we had to sell them to some one!
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Jim Wingett in 1956
Service Number: 1923819 |
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Jim Wingett was
one of the first on the scene of the crash of
DeHavilland
Mosquito TA669 at Schleswigland on
20th November 1956. Surprisingly both the pilot, F/O
Jones, and the passenger, Roland Pickering
survived with no serious injuries. Jim recalls
helping pull Roly from the wreckage and Roly,
obviously suffering shock, only being concerned
that he'd lost a shoe. The shoe was never found.
Read more about this
incident. |
Jim Wingett on left with
Tony Blackburn who worked on airframes or
engines. |
